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Good idea Kith. Wish someone had told the previous owner though!
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One of the most useful items for servicing cars (IMHO) is a tub of copper grease. I put a bit on almost* every fastener and metal to metal joint when working on suspension and external components. It makes the future disassembly easier by reducing the effects of salt and water on the parts. I remember the bellypans (2) on my Mazda 626, which were secured, in part by 6mm bolts with penny washers. First removal was difficult and necessarily aided by **40 (or similar product), but once greased, completely trouble-free.
* Not on brake hose connections, thanks.
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The only problem with greasing nuts and bolts (including wheel nuts/bolts) is that with the increase lubrication there is a tendancy to overtorque the nuts and bolts. This will happen even with a torque wrench since the torque seen by the wrench will not reach the set value until the nut or bolt is much tighter. IIRC torque settings are chosen for dry assembly unless otherwise specified.
cheers
StarGazer
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I have even even up doing my own oil changes because it just >> isn't worth the bother .........
There's more than one way to de-fur a feline! If oil changes are a problem, why not just trepan a hole to allow access to the sump drain plug?
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L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Two holes, l'escargot.
From what I can see the filter comes off from underneath as well!
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I'm happy with the one on the Volvo 240. It covers the front of the engine, so guards the fan belt and moving bits, and also stops wet and mud getting sprayed up into the engine compartment. But it stops at the cross-member so doesn't impede access to the drain plug.
It is very useful for catching spanners etc, and they can't roll away out of reach because they are caught by the cross-member. It is held on by 6 proper threaded bolts - greased of course.
A full undertray would reduce cooling of the sump - is that a good thing or a bad?
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There is probably more thermal resistance between the oil and the inside of the sump, so cooling the outside of the sump doesn't make a huge amount of difference to the oil temperature within.
Generally, you want to keep the engine oil at about 100 degrees C. Hot enough to evaporate condensation and unburnt fuel, but not too hot to begin to degrade the oil.
number_cruncher
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There is probably more thermal resistance between the oil and the inside of the sump, so cooling the outside of the sump doesn't make a huge amount of difference to the oil temperature within.
>
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I've just remembered the elaborately-finned aluminium sump on a car I once had. It projected downwards, then spread out sideways to be wider than the engine block. A bit of an unnecessary affectation then?
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If it weren't for the problem of sludge, the fins would have been better on the inside of the sump!
number_cruncher
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One of the most useful items for servicing cars (IMHO) is a tub of copper grease. I put a bit on almost* every fastener and metal to metal joint when working on suspension and external components. It makes the future disassembly easier by reducing the effects of salt and water on the parts. I remember the bellypans (2) on my Mazda 626, which were secured, in part by 6mm bolts with penny washers. First removal was difficult and necessarily aided by **40 (or similar product), but once greased, completely trouble-free. * Not on brake hose connections, thanks.
Absolutely agree. When I had a dealership my workshop manager always put copper-eze on bolts/nuts he knew he would be working on later in the life of the car. This was at the PDI stage, but being Ladas the PDI was three to four hours each car, so a little extra time then saved much trouble later.
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Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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Whilst on the subject of sumps I had to replace yet another VW Caddy sump today, that's the third in about 3 months. The engine tray hides it but doesn't provide any protection. All had been grounded and the damage to all three was the same - a large crack around the sump plug. The one I replaced today had virtually no damage to the undertray, just a couple of light scrape marks, the tray must have been forced upwards and then sprung back to it's original position. I asked the delivery driver if they sold many sumps, she said "five in a good week". The problem seems to be restricted to the later aluminium sumps, not the older steel ones.
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I put a post on here some time ago wondering why manufacturers don't fit smooth whole-car under trays. Obviously they would not be a single moulding but in sections (held in place with PROPER fastenings, mind you!). There would have to be gaps for the exhaust, suspension and to help airflow through the engine bay, but a full length undertray would save fuel at higher speeds and prevent mud build-up on the underside of the car's structure.
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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In a word, COST.
Nice idea, but no-one likely to choose to buy a car solely because it's so equipped.
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